We all know that deficiencies in certain nutrients and
vitamins can cause havoc. As children we learned how scurvy, caused by
deficiency in vitamin C, killed hundreds of sailors on long voyages that
started in the fifteenth century. We know that deficiencies in protein, iodine,
and iron cause deaths and disabilities that can be prevented with the help of supplements.
We also agree that for most of us, including our children, the best source of
these nutrients is a balanced diet.
Yet, those of us who can easily afford to give our children
a balanced diet are the ones who reach out for supplements. There is a very
good reason why we do it. We are intensely aware of the impact of vitamin and
nutrient deficiencies on our children's physical and mental growth. So at the
first sign of a child not eating what we consider to be a balanced diet, we get
worried and give them manufactured products that claim to contain all the
essential nutrients that children need to grow well and to become smart. Even
when they eat pretty well, we invest in these supplements. We don't want our
children to fall behind their peers who are given these supplements. We believe
that as educated parents aware of the critical role played by these nutrients, we
are doing the right thing for our kids.
But are we? Or are we pushing the children into a vicious
circle from which there is no escape? Do these very supplements prevent the
children from eating a balanced diet? Why should the body process raw and
cooked food for nutrients when it has been pampered with ready-made
supplements? Are we guilty of not giving the body a chance to look after itself?
Have we been taken for a ride by advertisers of health drinks and supplements?
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Dear Professor,
ReplyDeleteI fully agree with your post. Energy drinks are labeled wrong. They don’t energize you – they stimulate you especially for kids.
Research shows that beyond a brief caffeine high, there are actually no health benefits to energy drinks. In fact, the combination of different chemicals is likely to do more harm than good, especially for children.
Some of the unwelcome side effects of the drinks include elevated heart rates, hypertension, anxiety, headaches and interrupted sleep patterns. A recent study by the University of Miami suggests even more serious outcomes, such as heart palpitations, strokes and sudden death.
Sir, I know it’s hard to believe that something that looks like soda could cause any of these symptoms. But let’s look at the facts here: Energy drinks have three to five times the amount of caffeine as regular sodas do. They also include a number of unregulated herbal stimulants and natural blends like taurine, guarana, creatine and B-vitamins.
And a lot of the time, they don’t even bother to list these ingredients on the label.
Does this sound like a product we want our kid guzzling down to get them through the school day?
I know we’re all busy, and our child probably has a number of extracurricular activities, tests and projects going on all at once, but energy drinks are not the answer as you rightly said.
The sad thing is that it all boils down to common sense. These products get on the market, and they have flashy colors and cool commercials. The advertisers are specifically targeting kids.
Then, the kids get hurt and everybody wonders: What happened?
What happened was that you have companies that don’t care about children’s health, government regulators that don’t know what they’re doing, people that don’t want to be regulated, and most importantly, the power of the almighty dollar.
From a health care perspective, it has been obvious all along. These things can lead to no good.
There certainly haven’t been any studies showing the health benefits of these drinks.
Actually, it’s quite the contrary; these drinks can be dangerous, according to this latest study from researchers at the University of Miami.
So let’s stop the debate. We would advise parents; don’t let your kids drink this stuff, and companies; stop targeting our kids.